Paging system



C.AUTH

PAGING SYSTEM Feb. 25, 1936.

Filed June 22; 1931 5 Sheets-Shee lv www* ,64037 f Kul-Q INVENTOR "leszl ATTORNEYS c. AUTH 2,032,037

5 Sheets-Shea?,

nNvEN-roR Cl/arles Huil/L (UMH, M# Ma ATTORNYS Feb. 25, 1936.

PAGING SYSTEM Filed June 22, 1931 C. AUTH PAGING- SYST Feb. 25, 1936.

Filed June 22, 195,1

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 l0. 41

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ATTO R N EYS Patented Feb. 25, 1936 UNITED STATES lafrrlvr OFFICE 6Claims.

This invention relates to paging or calling systems.

One of the objects of the present invention is to improve and extend therange of paging systems for paging individuals by using signal devicesand a coded system of signals, and to eliminate complicated and extrapieces oi apparatus.

More specifically, an object of this invention is the provision ofmechanism avoiding the use of complicated wiring systems and therebypermitting a construction which is cheap to manufacture and easy torepair.

Another object of the invention is the provision of mechanism by meansof which different signals may be iiashed rapidly alternately, or inwhich the same signals may be ilashed in series in rapid succession.

Another object of the invention is the provision of mechanism by meansof which each of the digit indicators of the same value on theannunciators may be controlled by the same circuit closing switch, whichmay be closed at the same time that a circuit closing switch for any ofthe letters associated with digits in the code system employed isclosed.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription taken in connection with the drawings, in which Fig. 1 showsthe general hook-up of a control cabinet and a plurality of annunciatorboards;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a control cabinet with parts broken awayto show the relation between the keyboard slidesand the circuit closingswitches;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section through a control cabinet taken throughone of the keyboard slides, showing the operating mechanism for theslides;

Fig. 4 is a detail of a key and part of the operating mechanism for theslide;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing an entire cross section ofthe cabinet;

Fig. 6 is a sectional rear elevation of the keyboard slides andoperating mechanism therefor;

Fig. 7 is a wiring diagram including the circuit closing switches andthe signal devices in the annunciator boards;

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of a control cabinet Fig. 11 is a sectionsimilar to' that in Fig. 10

f showing a circuit closing switch operated;

Fig. 12 is a horizontal section with the key carrying doors and mercuryswitches in top plan view; and

Fig. 13' shows a key and the manner in which it is supported.

The system consists of one or more annunciator boards adapted to beplaced in desired locations `in hospitals or about the corridors inlarge oflices, buildings or public institutions or in any other place inwhich such systems may be used. The system is of a flash type design toperiodically give a series of diiierent signals in quick succession, andthus, in calling one or more individuals their corresponding lettersand/or numbers will be simultaneously set up on all of the annunciatorboards and the letters and/or numbers will be successively iiashed atintervals on the various annunciator boards.

The control board consists of a cabinet with a number-of keyscorresponding to the indicators on the annunciator boards. These keysare arranged in banks and if the annunciator boards consist of from 36to 40 indications and the control panel consists of ve or six banks ofkeys, approximately 200 doctors or individuals can be paged within aperiod of eight to twenty seconds.

Coded sets of signals will be successively flashed on the annunciatorboards.

Fig. 1 shows one embodiment of a control cabinet C and a plurality oiannunciator boards A, the number of which is determined by therequirements of service. The keyboard K on the control cabinet maycomprise any number of letter keys A, B, C, etc., and any number ofdigit keys 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, etc., and the signals on they annunciatorboards A may comprise letters A, B, C, etc. and digits 1, 2, 3,4, 5, 6,etc., the number of letters and digits employed being determined by theservice requirement.

Mounted in the control cabinet C and comprising the keyboard K, shownmore specifically in Fig, 2, are shown three keys A, three keys B, andthree keys C, the number of keys A, keys B and keys C depending upon thenumber of letters employed. The keyboard also includes three sets' ofdigit keys I to 6, the number of sets of digit keys employed dependingupon the number of letters employed. As will appear later, when codedsignalsC-l to C-B, B-I to B-S and A-l to A-B are toibe flashed insuccession the keys marked with the heavy letters A, B and C will beoperated and when any letter and a digit or digits are to be ashed insuccession then several of the same letter keys will be operatedtogether with the appropriate digit keys in the banks of such operatedletter keys.

As shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, the keys 1c are mounted in slides Swhich are in contact with each other and are held in contact with therear surface of the front member F of the cabinet by means of straps IIIand II, the outer edges of the end slides being preferably guidedl byany suitable means such as shoulders on the straps III and II, as isreadily understood. The upper end of each slide carries an operating rodI2 which, when the slide is raised, engages and rocks a mercury switchI3 against a restoring spring I4 to close a circuit through thecorresponding lamps on the annunciator board, as is well understood. Asthe mercury switch is rocked into the position shown in Fig. 5 andcloses the circuit across the terminals as indicated, parallel circuitsare closed, as shown in Fig. '7, through the signal lines to thevvariousannunciator boards so that the lamps in the various an-V nunciatorboards corresponding to the slide S operated will be energized todisplay the letter or digit corresponding to the key lc operated.

In the system disclosed in which, as stated before, for the purpose ofillustration only three letters and six digits are made use of, eachslide S carries three keys which for the purpose of description havebeen referred to by the letter lc. Each of the keys 7c comprises amanipulative portion secured on a stem I3I rotatably 'mounted in theslide S, the key being held in any of its rotated positions frictionallyby means of a spring ngered bell-shaped collar IM. Mounted on androtatable with the stem |3| is a collar I5 which bears against the rearface of the slide S. The collar I5 is provided with a projection I6which when the key is thrown into the operative position engages a pinI'I on the slide S to hold an arm I8 secured to the stem I3| inhorizontal position in which it is engageable by a pin I9 on a springmember 20 mounted on a horizontal bar 2| which extends the whole widthof the slide assembly and at its ends is connected to sprocket chains22, as indicated in Figs. 2, 3, 5 and 6. It is obvious, of course, thatother types of keys wellknown in the keyboard art may be employed.

'Ihe sprocket chains preferably carry four bars 2 I, though this numberis arbitrary. The sprocket chains may be mounted on sprocket wheels 23and 24 of which the sprocket wheel 24 carries a gear 25 meshing with thegear 26 driven through any speed reducing mechanism 2'I from a motor 28.As the sprocket chains and bars 2|, each of which carries as manysprings 29 and pins I9 as there are slides, move in a counterclockwisedirection the pins I9 are moved to the right as the cam-shaped ends 29of the springs 20 engage the lower cam edges of the pin engagementcontrolling bars 30, 3| and. 32. .These bars may be integral with orsecured to a supporting bar 33 in any suitable manner. The bar 33 isprovided with narrowcends 34 and 35 which may be secured to the walls ofthe casing C by any suitable means, not shown. If any one of the letterkeys A, B and C, or one or more of the/digit keys l, 2, 3, 4, 5 and s inthe iowermost/bank f keys isv operated, the associated pins ,/I9, as-the pins are pressed inwardly by the controlling bar 30 as indicated inFig. 5, will engage the arms I8 of the operated keys and lift the slidesin which they are mounted thereby rocking the associated mercuryswitches I3 and closing the circuits over the corresponding lines to thevarious annunciator boards.

As the bar 2| travels upwardly and the camshaped end 29 of each springis moved beyond the upper edge of the bar 39, the spring 20 is permittedto withdraw the pin I9 from engagement with the arm I8 thus permittingthe corresponding slide S to drop and to open the circuit over thecorresponding lines. As the camshaped end 29 of the spring movesupwardly across the bar 3| the pin I9 is moved to engage with the arm I8of the key in the second horizontal row or bank of keys, Fig. 2, in casesuch key is operated. If the key is operated the slide will again belifted to complete the circuit over the corresponding lines to theannunciator boards. As the cam-shaped end 29 of the spring 20 passes thebar 3| the pin I9 will be with drawn to permit the slide to drop and toopen the circuit over the corresponding lines. As the bar 2| continuesits movement against the bar 32 the pin I9 will be moved into positionto cooperate with the arm I8 on the key in the upper horizontal row orbank of keys, Fig.2, if this key is operated, and the slide will againbe lifted to close the circuit over the corresponding lines to theannunciator boards.

By means of the construction shown any coded numbers set up on thekeyboard will be ashed in rapid succession on each of the annunciatorboards.

As shown in Fig. 2, each of the slides S for the letters A, B and C maybe provided with as many keys A, B and C as there are banks of numeralor digit keys. In certain uses of the system coded numbers such as AI toA6, BI to' B5 and CI to C6 may be set up by pressing the keysrepresented by the heavy letters A, B and C, and when the system isstarted the coded signals CI to C6 will be ashed rst and then the codedsignals BI- to B6 and then the coded signals AI to A6, after which thesignals will be repeated in the same order until the mechanism isstopped or the keys are brought back to normal.

By providing each letter slide with ras many keys as there are banks ofdigit keys I am enabled to operate one or two or three of the letterkeys on a slide together with the digit keys in the same bank, and thusget a succession of the same signals which I make use of in cases ofemergency. I may also have the same coded signal repeated twice insuccession followed by a diierent coded signal which may indicate thatthe signal flashed twice in succession is an emergency call, and thatthe signal fla-shed but once is a f'call that is` not as urgent.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 8 to 13, the front face48 of the cabinet 4| is provided with hinged members 42 each of whichcarries a plurality of keys 43, the number of which depends upon thenumber of letters employed in the coded signals for which the system isdesigned. Each hinged member is provided with an arm 44 connected by alink 45 to a rocker 46 supporting a mercury switch 41, the connectionbeing e such that when the hinged member 42 is rocked outwardly as shownin Figs. ll and 12, the mercury switch 4l is rocked to close a circuitto signals in the various annunciator boards corresponding to the keyscarried by the hinged members. 'I he mercury switch is normally urgedinto the position shown in Fig. l0 by means of a spring 48 which throughthe link connection described causes the hinged member 42 to close, asindicated in Fig. 10.

aoeaoav Each or? the keys is slidably mounted in a slot is in the hingedmember 12, as indicated in Fig. i3. rlhe rear portion of the key i3 maycarry a cam element 5t which may engage the rear face oi the hingedmember l2 as shown. The key may be held in either of its positions by abell-shaped spring member 5l which bears against the iront face oi thehinged member as shown.

When the key is moved to the left hand end or the slot llt, as shown inFig. i3 and as indicated in Iiig. l2, the cam portion titl on the key ismoved into alignment with a cam operating disk 5E on a shaft there beingone shait for each bank oi keys and one cam operating disk b2 on eachshaft for each key in the associated bank as is indicated more clearlyin Fig. 9. All of the cam operating disks on a shaft preferably occupythe same angular position with respect to the shaft, as indicated inFigs. 9 and 10. The series of cam operating disks on the several shaftsare arranged angularly with respect to each other, as indicated in Figs.9, .l and Il, in order that the cams may cooperate with the keys of theseveral `banks o? keys successively to operate the mercury switches toindicate coded signals successively. The shafts d3 may be operated fromany suitable driving mechanism, and as is obvious from Fig, 5, the lowershaft may be driven from a motor through a speed reducing mechanism, andthe upper shafts 53 may be driven from the lower shaft by means oi gears5d, as indicated in Figs. 9, l0 and ll.

The modied form of control board, shown in Figs. 8 to 13, operates inall respects the same as that shown in Figs. 1 to '7.

It is to be understoodthat the number of letter keys may be increased tosuit the requirements of the service, and that for each letter key thereis a bank of digit keys, the number of keys in each digit bank beingdetermined by the service required.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference to twoembodiments, it is to be understood that the invention may be practicedby still other embodiments and that applicant intends to cover allyequivalents that fall within the scope of the appended claims.'

What I claim is:

l. The combination of a circuit closing switch, a slide for operatingsaid switch, a plurality of keys movably mounted on said slide, meansfor operating said slide, means on said keys adapted when the keys areoperated, to be engaged by said slide operating means, and means forcontrolling said slide operating means to successively'engage anddisengage said means on said keys for successive operation oi said slideand switch when said plurality of keys are operated.

2. The combination oi a circuit closing switch, a slide operating saidswitch, a plurality oi keys movably mounted on said slide, a pluralityof successively iunctioning operating means for operating said slide,and means for operatively connecting each slide operating means to saidkeys when operated, to cause said slide to move to close said switch foreach key operated.

3. The combination oi a circuit closing switch, a slide for operatingsaid switch, a plurality oi keys movably mounted on said slide, meansfor operating said slide, means for eecting an operative connectionbetween said operating means l and said keys when operated, said meansincluding a pin on said operating means, cam means for camming said pininto operative engagement with a key, and means for moving said pin intonormal disengaging position after it has moved said slide under controlof any one of said keys.

1i. In a control mechanism for controlling the operation of electricsignals, circuit closing switches for closing circuits to said signals,a

control keyboard including banks of keys, pivoted members eachoperatively connected to a switch and each movably supporting aplurality of keys of the same designation, operating means for operatingsaid members, and cooperating means on said operating means and the keyson each of said members adapted when one or more keys on a member areoperated to operate said member once ior each key operated.

5. In a control mechanism for controlling the operation of electricsignals, circuit closing switches for closing circuits to said signals,a control keyboard including banks of keys, pivoted members each ofoperatively connected to a switch and each movably supporting aplurality of keys of the same designation, a plurality of simultaneouslyrotatable operating shafts, and

angularly related means on said shafts cooperating with one or moreoperated keys on any member to operate said member once for each keyoperated.

6. A paging system including electrical switches, said switches havingactuating mechanisms each including a plurality of parts movable betweenactive and inactive positions, said last mentioned parts being locatedin banks, and one or more movable members periodically moving in suchrelation to said above mentioned banks as to periodically operate eachswitch Whenever its corresponding above mentioned part is in activeposition, said parts being out of the range of action of said memberswhen in inactive position.

CHARLES AUTH.

